Shattering sunroofs and windshields, acceleration, and brake, issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Many enthusiasts looking for a sophisticated luxury SUV often opt for the 2022 Acura RDX. It’s labeled as being “bold with purpose” by the automaker, and the 2022 model boasts lots of new features. But some disappointed owners are finding that it’s not living up to expectations. They are complaining about windshields and sunroofs that shatter, vehicles that won’t accelerate, and noisy brakes that dealers can’t fix.
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Problems reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the 2022 Acura RDX mirror those reported by 2021 and 2020 owners. More specifically, ongoing problems that 2022 owners are reporting include lack of acceleration issues, windshields and sunroofs that shatter spontaneously, and noisy brakes.
There is also a complaint that a passenger side airbag didn’t deploy in a side collision. The RDX had less than 150 miles on the clock and the insurance adjuster was surprised! It was taken to the dealer for inspection, and they sent photographs to Honda HQ.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
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Unknown Or Other
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Visibility/wiper
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Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly
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Air Bags
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Engine
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Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking
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Lane Departure: Assist
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Lane Departure: Warning
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Service Brakes
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Structure:body
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Brakes are one component that no Acura RDX or any other vehicle owner should have to worry about.
An NHTSA complaint points out how the brakes of his 2022 Acura RDX made horrible noises from the very first week of ownership. ”The front left brakes were making a rough contact noise when braking.” So, he went to two different dealerships “and they said the grooves should wear (down) but it may take some time. I am at 3,000 miles and (there’s) still the same noise.
On the bright side, all the other brakes function properly. However, the complaint goes on to say that “now the weather is dropping to 20° F, the same front brakes make a loud grinding/gurgling noise.” This goes away after the vehicle has warmed up. “No TSB, no recalls, and no solution. The dealer will not change the brake pads/rotor to see if that fixes the issue.”
This complaint, from an owner in Missouri, was filed with the NHTSA on January 7, 2022. By then, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM), which manufactures the 2022 Acura RDX, had already issued 2 manufacturer communications to dealers about client complaints about brake noise. These followed a whole lot of complaints from 2021 Acura RDX owners about brake noises.
The noise described in these communications is a bit different from that complained about in the complaint quoted above. They talk about a brake noise that sounds like “a squeal” rather than a “rough” noise.
The Missouri owner was quite right that there were no technical service bulletins (TSBs), and the communications don’t give advice to dealers on how to fix the problem. Instead, Acura states that they are searching for a cause. t
“To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.”
These first two “request research” communications were listed with the NHTSA under Service Brakes, Hydraulic and were the same. They state that they want parts from 2021-2022 RDX models with brake noise. The communication specifies ranges of VIN numbers for the 2021 models and certain other conditions. A third communication in the same category has additional VIN numbers specified. All the communications state that all 2022 VINs are accepted.
There were a total of 7 communications lodged with the NHTSA by Honda between November 9, 2021, and November 28, 2022. The other 4 are listed under Service Brakes and/or Parking Brake and are the same as the rest.
While the very first communication includes the 2020 model, the rest don’t. This is strange since 2020 Acura RDX owners have also filed many complaints about noisy, squealing brakes.
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A complaint from an owner in Utah says it all. “I was driving down the freeway, heard a large boom and my sunroof shattered. There was no impact. Nothing thrown. It did this on its own.”
The owner of a 2022 Acura RDX from Illinois describes how the sunroof simply shattered into pieces when he was driving. The assumption is that it was due to “the sun or heat,” because they live in Chicago. But it’s unlikely to have been the cause.
An owner from California whose rear windshield shattered spontaneously gives a lot more detail. “My car was parked at work, which is a secure compound that is monitored 24/7 by security guards and cameras. I filed an incident report with security and they reviewed camera footage and didn’t find any suspicious activity. I later discovered the incident is a known issue with a 2019-2022 Acura RDX (see Acura’s Service Bulletin 22-014 version 2).”
Having owned the vehicle for only a few months, the complaint states that there were no cracks on the windshield and no warning signs before it shattered. “A rear windshield shattering on its own is dangerous to be around because of the flying glass fragments, especially if it happens while driving. It also impairs visibility to the rear of the vehicle.”
Originally dated June 10, 2022, the updated Acura service bulletin 22-014 dated October 28, 2022, is titled Rear Windshield Glass Shattering. Strangely, even though all manufacturer communications to dealers must, by law, be lodged with the NHTSA, none of the 45 Visibility manufacturer communications have these dates or content.
What the service bulletin states is that the rear windshield glass “is shattered or broken with no external impact.” It also states that the possible cause is an “incorrect specification for the rear defroster grid.” Dealers are instructed to inspect and replace the rear windshield glass if it has shattered. The bulletin also provides an inspection procedure.
There aren’t any service bulletins that relate to sunroofs. Rather, like the brakes, Honda has been sending out messages to dealers asking for help to “better understand” the cause of conditions. They aren’t searching for solutions for shattering sunroof glass, but they do want to know more about other problems. One of these is based on a customer complaint that sunroof seals are damaged or deformed. Even so, American Honda Manufacturing is looking into yet another situation with no resolution in sight.
Like the brake problems 2022 Acura RDX are experiencing, acceleration problems are also nothing new. 2020 and 2021 Acura RDX owners have been reporting similar issues to those 2022 owners are discovering.
For example, an owner from Virginia states in an NHTSA complaint that while driving at 60 mph the vehicle wouldn’t accelerate. Additionally, the check engine warning light came on. The Acura RDX decelerated to 30 mph. When the driver pressed the accelerator pedal, nothing happened. Fortunately, she was able to get off the highway and park for about 10 minutes before continuing to her destination.
The dealer’s mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure on the RDX, which had only about 900 miles on the clock.
If you think you have bought a lemon the best advice we can give you is to contact us so that we can assess your problems. The law makes Acura (Honda) pay legal fees.
Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of lemon owners. So, if you have got a lemon on your hands, we can negotiate a settlement for you. All you have to do is fill out a contact form or call our Helpline. You certainly don’t have to live with a lemon!
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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In cold weather -22c, when idling the car will not warm up, at -35C when idling the engine temp. reading is just reading on the dash temp gauge. Spent a lot of money for a car that would work in Canadian winters. 14000 km on vehicle.